Alright, the game's been out a week now and my classes are over for now, so I finally had some time to sit down and give this one a proper spin. Let me start out by saying this: If you don't own a 360, now, more than ever, do you need to buy one. For starters, this game is probably the first zombie game to do it right. Resident Evil and other familiar "survival horror" games have only scratched the surface. This one comes so close to the claustrophobia and hopelesness of the apocalypse that it needs a disclaimer right on the box saying that George Romero doesn't endorse it, though he should.

In a nutshell, you play a photojournalist following a scoop that something big and military is happening in a small Colorado town known, if for anything, for it's gigantic fucking shopping mall. Once you're choppered in, it's clear to see that the whole place has been over run by a legion of the living dead. Once you land on the mall, though, the game starts. You have three days (maybe ten hours in real time) to take photos, help survivors, take part in the main plot (something about the Department of Homeland Security, some guy named Carlito and a crazy professor). You also get to kill thousands of zombies in a seemingly endless parade of amusing ways. Anything not nailed down is a potential weapon and each one has its own unique kill scene. It never gets old.

Mind you, these are Romero zombies. They're slow and there's a shitload of them at all times. When they're dispersed across the map, they're easy to handle, but they're usually grouped in big clusters and can be trouble. It looks easy at times, but once you get into it, this game is tough! It's an enduring challenge and it's loaded with the 360's landmark achievements. All of them worth shooting for.

Also noteworthy are the living survivors. When you resuce them, most of them behave in different ways. Some of them will keep up the pace with you while others might hide and be tough to persuade into safety. Some you can give weapons to. Give someone a gun and they're use it. Sometimes they're really good shots and a detriment to your own survival. Other times they suck and won't even shoot. Worse still, some will shoot themselves in a fit of hoplesness. This game is really remarkable in just about every way.

The only downside is the music and the save system. Musically, there's not much to speak of. Most of the time you only hear the ambient muzak and notices about sales in the overhead speakers. When night comes and the lights go out, though, it's silent, the only thing you hear are zombies everywhere. Boss fights are filled with some decent but unremarkable fight music. I've been playing with a playlist of the Day of the Dead soundtrack, Re-Animator and From Beyond. It's amazing how well these soundtracks translate to the game. All the big cues and themes play at appropriate times and it adds another level entirely to the game.

This is the title that most drew me to the 360 in the first place back when it was supposed to be a launch title. Since then, I've had half a dozen titles to reinforce my decision to go with this console over the competitors. Seriously. You want to play this game.